In an interview on Monday, Sablan said some in the U.S. Congress believe that the extension, if granted this year, will be up to 2016.
Others, however, believe that it can be up to 2019.
In case the extension is not granted, there will be “zero” guest workers in the CNMI by 2014 as required by the federalization law.
Sablan also said he has been asking the U.S. Department of Homeland Security about the delay in the issuance of the regulations governing guest workers during the transition period.
“We talk about what’s going to happen if we’re running out of time,” he said.
But he added that the U.S. Congress and DHS are aware of the situation here.
DHS, Sablan said, should have come up with the regulations 18 months ago.
The umbrella permits issued by the CNMI government to nonresidents expire in November this year.
